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Quick Answer

Go to the settings menu in Zoom or Teams, find the Video section, and uncheck the box for Enable Hardware Acceleration.

How to Fix Black Screens on Video Calls (Zoom, Teams, Netflix) ​

Estimated Time to Fix: 3 minutes

Applies to: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Web Browsers (Chrome, Edge)
Article Type: Troubleshooting
Last Updated: 2026-07-20

Summary ​

If you join a video call or try to watch a streaming video, and the video area is completely black but you can still hear the audio perfectly, the issue is almost always caused by a feature called "Hardware Acceleration." This article explains how to turn it off.

Symptoms ​

  • In Zoom or Teams, you can hear people talking, but their camera feeds are solid black rectangles.
  • When watching YouTube or Netflix in a browser, the video player is black, but the audio plays.
  • When you share your screen on a call, others report that they only see a black box.

Prerequisites ​

  • None required.

Instructions ​

1. Disable Hardware Acceleration in Web Browsers (Chrome & Edge) ​

If the black screen happens when using web-based apps or streaming sites:

  1. Open your browser (Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge).
  2. Click the three dots (...) in the top right corner and select Settings.
  3. In the left sidebar, click System and performance (in Edge) or System (in Chrome).
  4. Find the setting labeled Use graphics acceleration when available (or Use hardware acceleration when available).
  5. Turn the toggle switch Off.
  6. Click the Relaunch or Restart button that appears next to the toggle. The browser will restart, and the videos should now display correctly.

2. Disable Hardware Acceleration in Zoom ​

If the black screen happens specifically in the Zoom desktop app:

  1. Open the Zoom app on your computer.
  2. Click your profile picture or initials in the top right corner, then select Settings.
  3. Click on the Video tab on the left.
  4. Click the Advanced button at the bottom right.
  5. Uncheck the boxes for Use hardware acceleration for receiving video and Use hardware acceleration for sending video.
  6. Close the settings window and restart Zoom.

3. Disable Hardware Acceleration in Microsoft Teams ​

If the black screen happens in the classic Microsoft Teams desktop app:

  1. Open Microsoft Teams.
  2. Click the three dots (...) next to your profile picture at the top right, and select Settings.
  3. On the General tab, scroll down to the "Application" section.
  4. Check the box that says Disable GPU hardware acceleration (requires restarting Teams).
  5. Close the settings window.
  6. Right-click the Teams icon in your Windows taskbar (near the clock) and select Quit.
  7. Reopen Teams.

Troubleshooting ​

TIP

Hardware acceleration tells an application to use your computer's graphics card (GPU) instead of its main processor (CPU) to render video. While this usually improves performance, outdated graphics drivers can cause the GPU to render a black screen instead.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
Black screen persists after disabling accelerationOutdated Graphics DriversYour computer needs a driver update. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates and install any driver updates listed.
Only your own camera is blackPrivacy Cover or PermissionsCheck that your laptop's physical webcam shutter is open. In Windows, go to Settings > Privacy & security > Camera and ensure apps have permission to use it.